Process for mechanical/welded assembly of chassis elements for railway vehicles

Abstract

The invention concerns a process for assembly of the end of a girder (16,18',18",20', 20"and the associated region of a crossbrace (10,12), constituting components of the chassis end of a railway vehicle, with the girder and crossbrace each comprising at least one vertical web and upper and lower flanges. According to the invention, the flanges of the girder are cut away such that its web extends longitudinally beyong the edges of the flanges. Then the flanges of the crossbrace are cut so as to form attachment journals with free edges adapted to the respective free edges of the flanges of the girder, at the same time, forming in the region of the free edges, hook-shaped lateral appendages. The crossbrace and girder are positioned so that the respective free edges of the flanges of the crossbrace and the girder essentially abut one another, and the girder and crossbrace are welded together in the regions of mutual contact.

I claim: 
     
       1. A process for use in assembling a railway vehicle chassis, comprising the following steps: providing a girder and crossbrace for a railway vehicle chassis end, the girder and crossbrace each having a substantially vertical web, a substantially horizontal upper flange joined to an upper part of the web, and a substantial horizontal lower flange joined to a lower part of the web and opposed to the upper flange,   cutting the upper and lower girder flanges at one longitudinal end of the girder such that a corresponding end of the girder web extends longitudinally beyond resulting cut end edges of the girder flanges,   cutting the upper and lower flanges of the crossbrace at one side of the crossbrace to form upper and lower attachment bosses with edges complementary to the cut end edges of the girder flanges,   positioning the girder and crossbrace such that the cut end edges of the girder flanges substantially abut the complementary edges of the attachment bosses, and   welding the substantially abutted portions of the girder and crossbrace together.   
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1, wherein the girder and crossbrace are positioned such that said end of the girder web substantially abuts the web of the crossbrace. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1, wherein the cutting steps are performed with a plasma torch. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 1, wherein the girder flanges are cut so as to form generally hook-shaped lateral appendages which define opposite end portions of said cut end edges, the crossbrace flanges are cut so as to form generally hook-shaped lateral appendages which define opposite end portions of said edges of the attachment bosses, and the appendages of the girder flanges are welded to the appendages of the attachment bosses, and further comprising cutting off the welded appendages. 
     
     
       5. A railway vehicle chassis having at least one girder and crossbrace assembled in accordance with the process of claim 1. 
     
     
       6. A process of joining a girder to a crossbrace, comprising the following steps: providing a girder and a crossbrace each having a longitudinal web and a pair of substantially parallel flanges joined to the web and projecting substantially perpendicular to the web along at least one side thereof,   cutting the girder flanges off transversely at one end of the girder such that a corresponding end of the web projects longitudinally beyond resulting cut end edges of the girder flanges,   cutting the crossbrace flanges at one side of the crossbrace to form attachment bosses with edges directed laterally of the crossbrace and complementary to the cut end edges of the girder flanges,   positioning the girder and crossbrace to substantially abut the cut end edges of the girder flanges with the complementary edges of the attachment bosses, and   welding the substantially abutted portions of the girder and crossbrace together.   
     
     
       7. The process of claim 1, wherein the girder and crossbrace are positioned such that said end of the girder web substantially abuts the web of the crossbrace. 
     
     
       8. The process of claim 1, wherein the girder flanges are cut so as to form generally hook-shaped lateral appendages which define opposite end portions of said cut end edges, the crossbrace flanges are cut so as to form generally hook-shaped lateral appendages which define opposite end portions of said edges of the attachment bosses, and the appendages of the girder flanges are welded to the appendages of the attachment bosses, and further comprising cutting off the welded appendages